Youth Aliyah Today

Igor's Story

Igor is a sixteen year old teenager who lives in Neveh Hadassah, one of the five Youth Aliyah Villages in Israel supported by Youth Aliyah Child Rescue. ”I was nine when Social Services decided that my mother could no longer cope. I never knew my father, because he left us when we were small, so my mother was alone to bring up six children all under the age of ten. My mum had no support, because we had come from Russia and had no family here in Israel. She became an alcoholic… she would often hit us. Here, in the village, I am able to be a normal boy. I go to school, do my homework, I have friends. I have just recently been given the chance to learn the violin.

Igor is one of many of our children with similarly moving stories. They have come from many countries, many cultures, and many do not speak Hebrew.They have suffered from abuse, neglect, poverty, anti-Semitism or lack of education. Our villages provide these children with a home away from home, with a surrogate family, with love, care, an education… and a future.

“I have the honour of recommending for your consideration for the forthcoming award of the Nobel peace prize the international organization Youth Aliyah, through which children from 72 countries have been rescued and rehabilitated in Israel.”